Tooth whitening products are applied in different ways. A common technique is to cast an impression of a person's teeth and provide a tray of the shape of this impression. A person then only needs to add a whitening composition to the tray and to apply the tray to his/her teeth. This is left in place for a period of time and then removed. After a few treatments the teeth gradually whiten. Another technique is to use a strip that has a whitening composition on one surface. This strip is applied to a person's teeth and left in place for about 30 minutes. After several applications the teeth are gradually whitened. Yet another technique is to apply a whitening composition to teeth using a small brush. This brush is repeatedly dipped back into the container during the application of the tooth whitening composition to ones teeth. After a few treatments the teeth gradually whiten.
A problem with the latter technique is that saliva in the mouth contains the enzyme catalase. This enzyme will catalize the decomposition of peroxides. The brush can pick up some catalase during the application of some of the whitening product to teeth and transport that catalase back to the bottle. This catalase now in the bottle can degrade the peroxide in the bottle. Another problem with this latter technique is that it does not adapt for use with anhydrous whitening compositions. Here the brush may transport moisture from saliva from the mouth back into the bottle. This will have a negative affect on the whitening composition by potentially decomposing the peroxide active ingredient. In addition if a person washes the brush each time after use moisture from the wet bristles can enter the bottle.
These problems require a better way to deliver the whitening composition to the teeth. The objective is to maintain the supply of whitening composition segregated from the general environment and from mouth saliva. This objective has to be fulfilled using a dispenser that is easy to use by a person to apply the whitening composition to his/her teeth and is gentle on the teeth and gums. Additionally in a preferred embodiment the dispenser should be readily portable.
The present invention addresses and solves these problems. Preferred dispensers are elongated and pen-like in shape. They can contain about 0.5 ml to 20 ml of a product in the body portion and they have an applicator end for applying the contained tooth whitening compositions to a person's teeth. The applicator end is constructed such that moisture and saliva components will not migrate from an applicator surface into the part of the dispenser where the whitening composition is stored. In addition the applicator components must be compatible with the whitening compositions.